Conceptions on Services within Traditional Society and Knowledge-Based Society

The evolution of society from an industrial society to a knowledge-based society determines conceptual transformations of services. This study investigates the similarities and differences in conceptions on services within the knowledge-based society, as compared to the traditional (industrial) society. The findings of this study reveal that even though services have usually been defined in the literature by comparing them with economic goods, this comparison may not be so significant today because of the rapid technological development which has changed the production process of goods and services. The study was conducted using evidence provided by a set of policy documents such as strategies, regulations, reports, as well as articles and books. The findings of this study could be helpful in order to better address the problems encountered in managing service organizations within the knowledge-based society.